Rev. Dr. Daran H. Mitchell

It was September of 1972 in Tampa Florida, Daran Hernandez Mitchell was born to the parents of Clara Mitchell-Russell and Alphonso R. Curry (of sainted memory). He received his early Christian training, nurturing, and baptism at the Hood Temple A.M.E. Zion Church (Tampa, Florida). Dr. Mitchell had a call on his life at an early age and preached his trial sermon at the age of 16; Ordained a deacon in the Conference of his birth, the South Florida Conference (A.M.E. Zion Church) at age 19 by the Late Bishop Herman L. Anderson and an elder, by the Late Bishop Richard K. Thompson. 

Dr. Mitchell believes strongly in education and furthered his desire to learn by earning a Bachelor of Arts degree (Magna Cum Laude) in Religion/Philosophy-Liberal Studies from Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach, Florida; a Master of Divinity degree from Hood Theological Seminary, Salisbury, North Carolina; and the Doctor of Ministry degree with an emphasis in Liturgy and the Black Church from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University, Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Mitchell is a trained and certified Pastoral Care Specialist from Presbyterian Hospital, Charlotte, North Carolina; the Institute for Church Administration and Management (ICAM) at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC), Atlanta, Georgia; and the North Carolina Rural Leadership Development Institute, Raleigh, North Carolina. 

Dr. Mitchell has been around the world preaching the gospel of Jesus, and throughout his ministry he has served in various pastorates, including: New Zion A.M.E. Zion Church (Supply), Newport, Tennessee; Harris Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church, Canton, North Carolina; Smithville A.M.E. Zion Church, Cheraw, South Carolina; Foundation A.M.E. Zion Church, Rock Hill, South Carolina; Saint James A.M.E. Zion Church, Goldsboro, North Carolina; the First A.M.E. Zion Church, Brooklyn, New York and presently serves as the esteemed Senior Pastor of the great Trinity A.M.E. Zion Church, Greensboro, North Carolina. 

Dr. Mitchell has a passion for teaching, and has taught at various institutions of Higher Learning: 

• Adjunct Professor in Religion (Old and New Testament, and Hebrew Prophets), Mount Olive College, Mount Olive, North Carolina 
• Adjunct Professor (Christian Ethics and Introduction to Religion, North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, North Carolina  
• Adjunct Professor (Old Testament and Church History), United Christian College, Goldsboro, North Carolina 
• Adjunct Professor (Preaching) New Brunswick Theological Seminary 
• Currently Serves as Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology at the Hood Theological Seminary, Salisbury, North Carolina. 

In addition to his Theological passion in Higher Ed, Dr. Mitchell also serves in preparing pastors for ministry on the Conference Level. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Examiners for the West Central North Carolina Annual Conference; Chairman of the Finance Committee, West Central North Carolina Annual Conference; and Chairman of the Budget Committee for the Greensboro District.  

Dr. Mitchell believes in community involvement, in the city of Greensboro he is very active on various boards and organizations. He serves as a proud member of the Tau Omega Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; Director of Religious Affairs for the Greensboro Branch of the NAACP, President of the Pulpit Forum of Greensboro; and a member of the Greensboro Interfaith Council.  

Dr. Mitchell’s work speaks for itself, he has been recognized with numerous awards among those are National Dean’s List Award; Lucius Davis Leadership Award, Bethune-Cookman College; Kappa Omega Chapter of the Alpha Chi Honor Society; Florida Gamma Chapter, Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society; George Clayton Tharrington Memorial Preaching Award, Hood Theological Seminary; Clinton Wilcox Award, Hood Theological Seminary; the George Junius Leake Memorial Young Ministers’ Award (Cape Fear Conference AME Zion Church Lay Council); 2014 Martin Luther King, Jr., Board of Preachers, and 2016 Livingstone College/UNCF Leaders’ Hall of Fame. 

Dr. Mitchell is a devoted family man, he’s married to the Reverend Lorraine Lynn Kennedy-Mitchell and they are the proud parents of a young adult son, Caylen, who also serves in ministry.